The Holmes Family: November/December '20

The first three weeks of November were full of activity as I rounded up a month-long solo trip to Nigeria. On the 1st, I preached in special services at three churches in Ibadan for an ordination, an anniversary celebration, and the kickoff to a revival meeting. That Tuesday, a Pastors & Workers Fellowship was conducted, and over thirty preachers [pictured] each received boxes of John/Romans, New Testaments, Bibles, and Gospel tracts. The week before and after my Ibadan trip gave me the chance to teach a full course in our Providence Baptist College & Seminary.

The 3rd Regional Soul Winning & Leadership Conference [hosts and speakers pictured] miraculously took place at Independent Baptist Church of Calabar on November 15-18. This conference was postponed in May because of restrictions; violent protests shook the area in October, and a curfew in the city was lifted just days before we arrived. The Lord blessed with another ordination service launching the special meeting, a record number of pastors attending from the region, several in the host church proclaiming that it was their favorite conference, and each church represented receiving boxes of scriptures and resources from a container that had been cleared last year. The Friday before flying back to the U.S., I enjoyed hosting the seminary students [pictured below] at our home for supper and testimonies with the help of our single lady missionary, Ms. Pat Hamburg (she has a new update that I will include with the email of this prayer letter); this time of fellowship has become a tradition to which all of our students look forward. Both congregations at Truth Baptist and Grace & Glory were happy to see me on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. Grace & Glory planned an Encouragement Sunday with refreshments and an afternoon service; during the Holidays, this church had a record Sunday evening attendance for its first-ever Christmas Chorale concert. Of course, our members long to see my whole family, and we now have our paperwork complete for all of us to return to the field together in January.

Thankfully, after three itinerary changes, I was able to make it back to the U.S. in time to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family and my father-in-law’s family in Houston. The Christmas week was commemorated by a couple of get-togethers with relatives of my mother-in-law, and that weekend was a nice time to be with my mom, my brother and his wife, and our sending church. A special Sunday before Christmas was enjoyed in Maine as Sabrina and I were able to “get away” to meet the family and sending church of Caleb & Emily Christiansen, who will be working with us long-term starting at the end of next year.

Our supporters have been so kind to meet this particular need for other preachers in the past, so I feel confident in presenting it again. A pastor who recently started a third-generation church needs a motorcycle to be able to conduct an institute there, and another pastor overseeing two churches could use an “okada” for his works. Our recently formed deaf ministry has two seminary students serving fervently, and a motorbike would aide in their visitation efforts. A new quality motorcycle costs $600 and would be a great blessing to these worthy servants.

Who We Are

Mark Joseph Holmes was called to the ministry at the age of fifteen, five years after he was saved. He went to Hyles-Anderson College to receive his training and graduated summa cum laude in 2000 with a degree in Pastoral Theology. During Mark’s senior year, God placed on his heart the desire to reach the people of Nigeria, so he spent an extra year in preparation by taking missions courses. Mark served on the same bus route each college year, as captain for three years.

Sabrina Michelle (Hopkins) was saved at the age of eight and surrendered her life to God five years later. While at Hyles-Anderson College studying music education, she served in the Bible Club and deaf ministry and also traveled one summer with a tour group. After graduation with a Music Education degree, during the year before their wedding, Sabrina taught fourth grade at her home church’s Christian school—Central Baptist in Baton Rouge.

As newlyweds, Mark and Sabrina served at their sending church where Mark oversaw the bus ministry and helped in the youth department, Sunday schools, and junior churches. He was privileged to start a children's church and young adult class during his two years of service, and he also regularly preached at a prison ministry and taught for a local Bible institute. Sabrina taught private piano for two Christian schools; she played often in the church services and also taught the beginner Sunday school class. Mark and Sabrina started full-time deputation at the end of May, 2003. Mark Joseph, Junior was born on December 4th of the same year.

In June of 2005, the Holmes family began their first term as Fundamental Baptist Missions International missionaries in Nigeria. Soon, Truth Baptist Church along with Temple Baptist Institute was started, the church now averaging 220 on Sundays with 42 graduates from the ministry training school. Property with buildings was purchased, and Providence Baptist College & Seminary opened its doors in August 2009 and has now produced 30 graduates. 35 churches have been started by those who have been trained or ordained by their ministry, including one of the most recent, Grace & Glory Baptist Church in Abuja, in which the Holmes family is also involved. Mark and Sabrina have returned to the U.S. for the birth of: Victoria Noel 12/14/05
Brian Michael 8/20/07
Noah Preston 2/3/12

LaDonna Elizabeth 7/3/14
For nearly a decade, Truth Baptist Church has been the home of a national pastors' conference, an annual youth camp, a full curriculum DVD correspondence college, and the City of Refuge recently became their newest ministry.

Where We Are

The Niger River is Nigeria’s most remarkable physical feature, as well as the source of its name. Formerly a British colony, Nigeria gained its independence in 1960 and became an independent nation of three culturally distinctive regions and at least 250 different language groups—more than any other African country. Home of the world’s largest black population, it is estimated that almost one out of every six Africans resides in Nigeria.

Upon independence, Nigeria inherited a currency that was more valuable than the U.S. dollar at the time. Yet the country has consumed itself with the sell of oil and other natural resources and all but abandoned its agricultural sector, leading to Nigeria’s diminished currency value and heightened reliance upon imports and aide from other countries. Military coups, ethnic tensions, a thirty month “civil war” that claimed over a million lives, and economic corruption have been the driving forces behind Nigeria’s instability of the last forty years. In 1998 a democracy was established, ending fifteen years of military rule.

Baptists have enjoyed a presence in the country for over 150 years with the Southern Baptists growing their own national convention and an estimated Baptist population numbering more than 3.5 million people; the former President of Nigeria was a claimed Baptist. However, Muslim influences are growing greater, indigenous beliefs are still popular, and many existing Baptist churches have abandoned biblical doctrines. There is a great need to reach the rest of the more than 170 million people of Africa’s most populous and possibly most influential nation.

The Holmes Family

November/December '20

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